Arcade Fire

26 Feb 10:36

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6 lists

Arcade Fire was formed by Win Butler and his soon-to-be wife, Régine Chassagne, while the pair were McGill University student in Montreal. After an initial EP, which they put out themselves, Butler's younger brother William joined the outfit, which soon attracted other members. They subsequently managed to build up huge local acclaim for their energetic live shows. Shortly thereafter, Merge Records, an independent, caught wind of their creative approach to songwriting and began work with them on their debut album. Funeral was released in 2004 - its sombre title reflective of the deaths of several of the band member's relatives. These included Alvino Rey, a celebrated composer who was the grandfather of the Butlers. It might have been a sad starting point, but musically, it worked; the album was a massive critical hit, and gained praise from heavyweights like David Bowie and Coldplay. The 'tricky' second album Neon Bible was a strong follow up, whilst 2010's outstanding The Suburbs confirmed that Arcade Fire truly are one of the most exciting bands around today.